I did the sound for the second stage at the festivals. Worked for Easy Music at the time and we did sound at several events in Honolulu. Had a great time with lots of help from friends. We all did it for free and the music was worth it as I had lots of local bands on my stage. Lots of memories too!

As usual I have vague memories of the 60’s-70’s concerts. I don’t remember how many Crater Festivals I went to. Its a blur, somehow I recall Country Joe and the Fish but didn’t think I liked them much. Somehow the hot outdoor setting, inside Diamond Head is sorta barren, and the buzz in the air was more conducive to just hanging out and enjoying the scenery, which I did. Hey M, you get the original Tom Sellers poster? Collectors item for sure, keep it flat and protected. Tom Sellers was a hot illustrator/designer in those days, had a harbor building studio by Aloha Tower.

I went to the one advertised on the poster! My brother, his friends & me (the tag along) got there before dawn–and it was DAMNED COLD. We went to concession stand, where they were making some hot chocolate but since it wasn’t ready, we had coffee black & steaming.
In the morning the rain made it cold & by noon the sun made it blistering, but we had a great time. For some strange reason, one of the headline acts was David Carradine & Barbara Seagull (Hershey). I remember a young Pauline Wilson singing with either Ox or Seawind, can’t remember. A lot of military folk, probably future Vietnam vets, guys smoking doobies & a few topless girls (My teenage jaw dropped).

I did the sound for the second stage at the festivals. Worked for Easy Music at the time and we did sound at several events in Honolulu. Had a great time with lots of help from friends. We all did it for free and the music was worth it as I had lots of local bands on my stage. Lots of memories too!

Doug Rivera from Glass Candle! Welcome to the MLC blog and thank you for sharing your crater memories with us. I’m bummed that I missed your guys last gig in December (was in Vegas). Next one for sure! Please say there will be a next one!

I was so into the Crater Festivals… my friends and I caught the 6 o clock bus and by the time we got there it was around 8. I was always the one up front by the stage clapping my hands in the air and rocking out (which I still do today). I remember all the drinking, face painting, and the smell of doobies in the air, too. Did a lot of walking around and checking out who we would see from school and other places. Caught the bus home around 10 o clock and met my dad who picked us up at the Umi St. terminal, remember that? Not there now. When we left, it was usually the last group playing. Those were the days, loved it, would re-live it!!

The 1975 festival was held on New Year’s Day and the line-up included:

Gedo

1976

The 2-day Festival of Life (New Years Eve, Dec. 31,1975 to New Years Day Jan.1, 1976) was a celebration of America’s bicentennial. Promoters Polynesian Enterprises (Bob Kent and Steve Eastwood) in association with Calgary’s Fire Productions (Chris Dobbin, Anthony Gregory and Joel Margolis)chartered a DC8, painted it Red,White & Blue w/stars, of course, and flew the entire entourage {Sly Stone missed the flight and flew over later – Stevie Wonder had to cancel at the last minute) to Hawaii in what had to be one of the most infamous drunken, drug hazed flights since Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour.

Note: Seals & Crofts abstained from such shenanigans as they were members of the Baha’i faith, good thing they weren’t seated next to Cheech & Chong’s entourage who lit up before the plane was aloft. All the major news stations were at the airport to shoot the arrival as local fans disbelieved that such a prestigious group of performers could be assembled for one festival.

Never made it to any of the Crater Festivals. But reading late entries to the “first concert” topic made me want to submit this. My first concerts were at the Waikiki Shell where Peter, Paul, and Mary performed a few consecutive summers. Great sitting on gozas on the grass. Some of you mentioned the Young Rascals, which reminded me of this. In the summer of 1966, the “Teen Fair” was held at the HIC exhibition hall with many booths of things supposedly of interest to teens. My dad was in a Lions Club and he asked my friends and me (to be continued)

to man a booth giving out info on Lions Club and also T-shirts. About 30′ from our booth was a stage. At this time. the Young Rascals had been on the charts (“I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore”) but weren’t that big yet. They played three or four consecutive nights and we were close to the stage. Became a fan. I think they gained a lot of Hawaii fans that week.

i was a little young for the crater festivals when they first started, probably still a little young when they ended! never went to one but i probably wouldn’t have liked it because i don’t like when it’s hot! lol.

@volleymom2 – i think ankles remembers stuff that he’d rather have forgotten! lol.

@rodney: The last picture that you posted of the three piece band performing on stage at a crater festival is really “The Stampeders”, who are best known for their big hit “Sweet City Woman”. They performed on December 31, 1975, which was the first day of the
“2 Day Festival Of Life” event.

On the second day, January 1, Sly Stone joined Billy Preston during his set and the two of them put on a great performance together. America was the last act to perform and due to delays, they did not finish their set until after midnight! That was really a long day.

@rodney: I was looking at the poster at the top of your blog from “The 6th Annual Sunshine Festival” on January 1, 1974. It reminded me that Journey, who were making their Hawaii debut, was the headlining act that day. Someone told me that the night before, they performed at a New Year’s Eve concert in San Francisco and right after that, they caught a flight to Hawaii so that they could perform at the crater festival on New Year’s Day. The Hawaii concert was only their second public appearance together. This was 3 years before Steve Perry became their lead singer. Actor David Carradine, who was having big success with his popular television show “Kung Fu”, and his girlfriend Barbara Hershey were also at that event.

@Mike in Waipio – I remember my dad taking me to some kind of fair at the HIC exhibition hall when I was around 8 or so. It must’ve been that same “Teen Fair” that you worked.

All I remember was the ton of booths saying how bad drug use was. I remember one booth showing a film that said even though you might stop using drugs, once you start it’s in your system forever. Then it showed this guy randomly jump in front of a moving car for no reason all all even though he hadn’t used drugs for a couple of years – because he used them before.

I think I was a bit too young to be there because it scared the shit out of me.

When the record album featuring Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles at the Crater Festival was released, I just had to buy it. I got the cassette tape and played it until it squealed and got tangled up in my tape player.

But I do remember all the commotion and the articles in the papers that we had to deliver back in the days. Still remember the Hawaiian Open in the 70’s. It was a perfect overcast Saturday and no wind at all. They tore up the course with unreal scores.

K, okay, back on topic. That wahine in the bikini (above) better be pregnant. Otherwise, we’re talking major teenage beer gut. LOL

Like Rodney said, it was new years, so was hard to deviate from tradition, but I went to one and only one of those festivals, the one with Santana and Buddy Miles. Even from far away Buddy Miles looked huge on his drum set. The wind blew the music throughout the crater – it was unreal.

I only remember one other band that played, local guys with brass, electric guitars, li’dat. One of the band guys was related to the family who owns Leonard’s Bakery – that’s what my friend told me anyway. The band played one of the early sets.

“loose as a goose, loose as a goose.
drunk as a skunk, drunk as a skunk.”

I remember those lyrics but little else. It was a pretty cool band. Don’t remember their name.

One last memory, we saw Don Muraco hanging out at the festival. That was a big thrill for us that day! haha. I think he might have been just starting out in 50th state wrestling, but I not sure about that. but we was sure that was him.

@tankobu- yeah, I remember food was hard to get, can’t even remember what I ate. Whatever food you bought, it was expensive. Also remember the days being so hot and humid- always came home sunburned. Sunscreen- what was that?.. back in the day…

I’m from the Big Island but remember visiting Oahu and my super cousin Cheryl and her boyfriend taking me to a Crater Festival. It was overwhelming for me but I remember waking up to America and I think I caught Sly Stone also. It’s a blur!
Thanks for jogging so many musical memories through the years…

I went to a couple of festivals. The one that stood out most to me was the 77 concert with Journey and Detective. My friends and I went hoping to see Jimmy Page play with Detective as he played on their album. Nope! He didn’t show. Journey was great as they played with their original lineup(Space rock) vs. the Steve Perry lineup(Pop ballads). I remember sneaking in a couple of those miniture bottles of 151 to mix with a coke. Great times!!!!!

@rodney: There was also a 2 day summer crater festival on July 4 and 5, 1975 that was very good. The first day featured Lydia Pense And Cold Blood and Canned Heat. The second day was headlined by Fleetwood Mac, who had recently added new members Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. As you know, that version of Fleetwood Mac went on to become hugely successful. On the second day, there was also a brush fire on the slopes of the crater that raged on for about 45 minutes until the fire department arrived to put it out!

Whenever I see pics of people like these, I wonder what they look like now and what they’re doing. I know some that are pretty important people in our community LOL just hoping pics like these don’t get shared HAHAHA!

Wow, Oh I remember Day 2 of 76. Cheech & Chong was my favorite of the day. Wish I could find Pam & Wendy they made the day special for me. Last seen them the next summer in SFO. I was 15 and on the road to ruin. The best of times.

My first Crater Festival was actually the first one ever in 1970. I was a young marine stationed at Kaneohe MCAS. The next year I was living off base at a house we rented in Kailua. The memory of Santana playing Samba Pa Ti while the sun was going down over the crater wall was awesome. Also went to the Festivals in 72 and 73 but as a civilian long haired hippy freak!! (Now I am referred to as “Corporate Scum” by my adult children)….

It was a great time with some great music and four finger “lids” I just remember paying a few dollars maybe 5 but that’s all to the first festivals. I can close my eyes and still see stages and bands playing with the pungent smell of grass in the air. Damn but I miss those days!!

About The Author

Rodney Lee is a Baby Boomer - and proud of it. Rodney started the Midlife Crisis blog back in the days of The Honolulu Advertiser and ran it for about 3 years. After The Honolulu Advertiser shut down, Rodney decided to continue his blog here at Midlife Crisis Hawaii. New blog entries are added every Monday and Thursday.